Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to Read this wonderful work!

AK Mulford you are a genius! I have to be honest that midway through this I got on a Fantasy slump and wasn’t able to finish it before the release day but I am so happy I finished it now.

A River of Golden Bones brings to life a world full of suffering due to years of hate and not doing the right thing. Left and right rulers have their own agenda all fuelled by their own hate or greed for power that is not meant for them alone. The characters are colorful and strong and just perfect. They all were needed to make the story come true and for a True Ruler to reign.

I did not expect to tear up, ok I sobbed, while reading this but that scene at towards the end was written so beautifully that I couldn’t help it.

Another incredible book from A.K Mulford!
This book was a really enjoyable story and wasn't heavy on the world building so great for anyone wanting to get into fantasy as well as the die hard fantasy lovers.

Calla is the twin sister in secret of the Heir to the Golden throne, Briar.
Briar is set to marry Grae a wolf shifter prince to form an alliance to help save their kingdom.
On their wedding day things don't quite go to plan and Calla is forced to step out of the shadows and help save her sister who is now in a sleeping beauty type spell as well as save her kingdom.

Calla goes on a journey of self descovery as she figures out who she is after a life of living in her sisters shadow.
It has fated mates, some spice, found family, wolf shifters, gender exploration, queer representation, a sleeping beauty spell and lots of adventure.

This book was a really fun new take on Sleeping Beauty. I have never been a huge fan of the traditional tale, but this book gave Sleeping Beauty a secret twin who was raised to be a warrior instead of a princess.
Calla’s sister, Briar, is betrothed to the Prince of the silver wolves. Briar is known as the lost princess, but what the world doesn’t know is that Briar has a twin sister. An evil sorceress has is out for their family and shows up on Briar’s wedding day and chaos ensues. Briar ends the day in a deep sleep with her fated mate, the only one who can wake her, taken captive. Calla embarks on a journey to try and save her sister.
Calla joins with a band of musicians who make them realize who they truly are.
The representation in this book was wonderfully done and I loved reading Calla’s journey of self discovery. This story was familiar, but different. It was a story of finding love, but also learning to love yourself for wo you are.
This book wasn’t perfect. The pacing was off and the story was a little boring in the middle portion with the majority of the plot in the beginning 25% and the last 25%. This is also a fated mates story, and I didn’t love Calla’s chemistry with their mate. The spice felt a little out of place. This is the first book in the series, and I think personally I would have like this first book to focus on Calla finding themselves, and less on the romance plotline because it felt slightly out of place in this book. I would have also liked a little more world building. We get a little bit of it, but things in this world aren’t ever really explained.
Overall I would recommend this book. It felt like a good start to a story and I am exited to see what else these characters have in store for them moving forward.

The best sleeping beauty retelling I have ever read.

A.K. Mulford has written another amazing fantasy romance. Calla and her twin Briar have been in hiding since they were born. Now that they have turned 18 they are entering Silver Wolf's society so Briar can marry the prince and save their kingdom. That is until the evil sorceress, Sawyn, has other plans. Calla must save her sister and her kingdom and along the way find themself.

Why I love this book:
~Friends to Lovers
~LGBTQ+ Representation
~Wolf Shifters
~Saving the Kingdom
~Spicy Romance
~Romantasy
~Self Discovery
~Fated Mates

Thank you so much to Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to arc-read this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.

A.K. Mulford has become one of my favorite authors in the romantasy genre, especially for her care with queer characters, characters of color, and fat characters - all who helm her novels. A River Golden Bones is a book about finding oneself, despite having being groomed to be one who follows the rules and live of others.

With a friends-to-lovers romance and a retelling of Sleeping Beauty as the plot, the main focus of this is discovering the larger world that Mulford has created for Calla to explore and find self in. With a ragtag group of musicians, Calla learns more about how the world should be and how easy it is to find oneself with the support of a great community.

Mulford continues to add space for also sorts of characters to a mostly white, cishet, thin romantasy character casts. The formulas that are so popular in the romantasy genres still work and are wildly successful even when they are not featuring the stories of white, cishet, thin, etc. characters.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and unfortunately never paid for reviews.

Thank you SO MUCH to A.K. Mulford, NetGallery and the publisher for providing an ARC for me to read ❤️ forever grateful for this opportunity!
A River of Golden Bones is a fresh, new twist to the classic “Sleeping Beauty” tale. It follows Calla and Briar, twins to a defeated kingdom after an evil sorceress curses their mother. Briar is the “Crimson Princess”, groomed from an early age to be the Queen of their kingdom. Calla, on the other hand, has been kept a secret. A back up plan lurking in Briar’s shadow. But after Briar befalls a sleeping curse by the sorceress, Calla must fight her way across the country, Aotreas, to defeat Sawyn and reclaim the throne.
The way Allie writes these main characters is truly my favorite part. Calla was such a relatable character for me (personally) and seeing that representation in fantasy novels really warms my heart. The worldbuilding was immaculate, from the descriptions of the hot springs in the mountains to the spicy scenes 😮‍💨. The fact that the book “wraps” its storyline while still leaving it opened ended had me satisfied with the read while still eager to dive into what was to happen next with the Golden Court. I cannot wait for the next book in the series and the book hasn’t even released yet 😭

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

dnf @ 40%

Now, I really tried to avoid dnfing this book. I was really excited to read it. I mean, I love a good retelling and a good fated mates storyline. But, for whatever reason, I just couldn't get into this book. I think its more of a me problem. I'm in a bit of a reading slump. But I found the book to be too slow to keep my attention at the current moment. I wasn't really wowed by anything. Not the romance or the world building. There was some pretty good representation, however. But, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I may return to it eventually.

This is a Sleeping Beauty reimaging but with shapeshifting wolves. Twin sisters, hiding from the malevolent sorceress who killed their parents navigate a world of alliances, prophecies, and hidden legacies. There is a rich tapestry of world-building. The intricacies of the Wolf society, the alliances between packs, the separate human world, and the looming threat of the sorceress create a vivid backdrop.

While there are numerous tropes to love here, they are also navigated with finesse. Mulford manages to breathe fresh life into them, steering clear of predictability and clichés. The story also explores themes of gender and self-discovery with Calla. As she steps out of the shadows and embarks on a quest to save her twin, she gets to figure out who she wants to be. The love story that also unfolds is both tender and passionate and the found pack/family aspect is wonderful.

While I had an eARC, I just had to wait to listen along with the audiobook. It was both eagerly anticipated and ultimately worth the wait. Vico Ortiz's delivery enhances the immersive quality of the story. Phenomenal job.

What sets "A River of Golden Bones" apart is the genuine and heartfelt nature of the story. Mulford's inclusivity, the sincerity invested in the storytelling, and the avoidance of typical tropes contribute to a story that feels both refreshing and deeply personal. A.K. Mulford has poured their creative essence into this work.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the eARC. This is an honest review.

Overall, just a bit messier than I’d like. Some of the world was great but other parts felt underdeveloped. Loved the idea, not the execution.

Sleeping Beauty retelling x wolf shifters? Say no more.

Still finishing up the book but I’m loving it so far! The romantic tension has me on my toes and I love reading fairytale retellings with a twist. Also I love these gorgeous splash of colors on the cover!

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC!

Edited to add: I finally finished the book 2 weeks later but I struggled to finish it and had to force myself. The story pacing was so slow and I got bored as the story dragged on. There was a lot of build up to how terrible and powerful the villain was but when we learn more about Sawyn and meet her, she just seemed like a caricature witch. The ending was a bit simplistic and honestly I didn’t understand why Sawyn did everyone a favor making it easier for the main characters to reach their goal. There is found family trope which I might’ve enjoyed more if the side characters were more fleshed out, the trope felt a little half-baked. I didn’t really have any reason to care for them that much. I did love the traveling wagon-mobile concept though, it reminded me of Howl’s Moving Castle. This book had an interesting concept and I was curious how the romance with the sister’s betrothed would work out with the FMC but I lost interest very quickly in the story due to the slow pacing.

This was a beautiful story with romance, queer self-discovery and more!! I loved the journey and need book two. I could not put it down. This is a novel to read in one sitting and then read it all over again.

Romantasy with fated mates!? Sign me up! Sleeping beauty retelling? Sign me up! Curses and villains and wars!? Sign me up! Such a great read and a fun escape into a magical land.

This slow burn paranormal romantasy will have you flipping pages long into the night. I received a copy of this book from the publisher as an ARC for my honest review- and I am so thrilled to be able to say I adored every second. Mulford weaves a world in which the reader becomes intimately immersed, using familiar tropes and stories in their own unique ways, creating an entirely new tale from the bones of the nostalgic. The MC, Calla, is a nonbinary BOSS who demands justice and equality, even if it means turning their back on everything they have ever wanted and I am HERE for it. When Calla says they are 'tired of waiting on the promises of men' I screamed. What could have easily been a feminist masterpiece was quickly evolved into a much more inclusive, representative story about how societal systems and hierarchies so often oppress and marginalize those that don't fit into the boxes laid out for us, those too weak or poor to focus on more than what they will eat that day, and what it looks like to disrupt those systems from within. I loved Calla and Grae, their story was beautiful and authentic, even if it was predestined. They create their own love story that defies the expected and I adored every second of it. I am so thrilled to have been able to read this book early, and cannot wait for the next in the series!

River of golden bones- 3.75⭐️ 3🌶️

New Adult
Fantasy romance
Coming of age
Wolf shifters
Princess Warrior
Fated mates
🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ characters
He fell first
Slow burn
Open door spice



Twin princesses, hidden away until one is to marry a prince. This was an interesting reimagining of sleeping beauty’s children dealing with what happens when you don’t chase down the villain.

The main characters were fine, but the main character read very YA. I wonder if that was intentional with them being raised in a secluded cabin mansion… but I still wanted them to grow up and have the energy/mentality to match their badass fighting skills. It got better as the book moved on, but I didn’t like not enjoying them for the first half of the book.

The MMC was the broody manly man. Standard for the genre. I like that he fell first and harder and that he loved the main character through everything. His devotion was very well done.

A big hangup is the pack mentality, but the twins never lived in a pack, so I found it a little asinine that they cared so much about something they never experienced. I would have liked to have seen a little more friction in that space. Having the twins live in a wolf centric world for more than 24 hours and truly experience the hierarchy they never had… then break away from it. It would have been so much more satisfying.

Another complaint that I had was that for pivotal statement moments, the pacing came to an unrealistic complete halt. It was like the opposite of the jokes about the typical villain monologuing. I kept thinking “well villan, you could have killed them 10 different ways during all that.” Add a forced outing (that should have been revealed WAY before in order to lean into it) to the mix… nope.

Also, the way the story was wrapped up for this book made it feel like a standalone, not a series opener. I very well could walk away now and not feel as though I have missed anything by not reading further in this series, which is an unfortunate feeling to have when I enjoyed the book so much.



Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing and Advanced eReader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to first thank Harper Voyager, A.K. Mulford, and NetGalley for an advanced read of A River of Golden Bones. This book came highly recommended from an author I love and it did not disappoint. I loved the world and character building in this novel. I loved the intricate relationships that were built between the humans and wolves. A.K. Mulford did an outstanding job weaving her beliefs and passion into each and every character. I’m am so excited for book two and cannot wait to read it.

Very much a romantasy! I didn't love how quickly it progressed. I felt like the first quarter of the book could have just been the whole story. No slow burn, not a lot of world building. There were a lot of mentioned creatures that had never been described. This has a lot of good feedback, so maybe I am judging it too quickly? Would be willing to try this again because maybe I am just not in the right mood.

4.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed the main character and being able to see them discover their gender identity and come into themselves on page. It was a very unique way of writing that i haven’t seen before and i really enjoyed Calla’s story. The love interest and plot were very enjoyable and kept the story moving. I enjoyed the tension and the spice.

If you've been on BookTok for more than 35 seconds, you've heard of AK Mulford. They're the author of the wildly popular HIGH MOUNTAIN COURT series that went viral on TikTok and led to a book deal with Harper Voyager...yeah, them! You've heard me gush about Ali and their books on multiple episodes of the podcast, and my praise and awe have only grown with their latest release: A RIVER OF GOLDEN BONES.

A RIVER OF GOLDEN BONES is the first in the GOLDEN COURT trilogy, which promises to be an action packed romantasy series with AK Mulford's signature writing style and diverse cast of characters. Just as in the HIGH MOUNTAIN COURT series, the GOLDEN COURT has already begun with characters of all sexualities, gender identities, races, and even species (helllloooo, wolf shifters!). Oh, and it's a loosely based SLEEPING BEAUTY retelling. 

You'll easily fall in love with Calla (she/they), the lead in A RIVER OF GOLDEN BONES. After their parents' tragic and untimely deaths, a fairy raises twins Briar and Calla in secret to honor their mother's dying wish, that they be protected until Briar's wedding day. Because of court politics and outdated practices, Briar (of the fallen Golden Wolves) has been betrothed to Grae, heir to the Silver Wolves, to unite their packs and strengthen the line of succession. Calla was a surprise no one expected, and, since their mother died during childbirth, very few even know that Calla exists. Once Briar is married and that alliance is formed, Calla can reveal herself as a Golden heir without threat to themself or Briar, who is poised and ready to play the royal role and do her pack duty in continuing the line and producing litters. Unfortunately for Calla, they've always been drawn to their best friend Grae, and the thought of Grae marrying Briar is devastating.

Did I mention there's an evil sorceress? On Briar's wedding day, disaster (and Sawyn) strikes and fated mates are revealed, casting every aspect of their perfectly laid plans into doubt. Briar is left under an indefinite sleeping curse and Calla must flee in order to save her sister--and so much more. On this journey-turned-heist, Calla must also face the boxes that society has placed them in, and how those boxes have never fit who Calla is. While Calla journeys to save their own world, they also go on a journey of self-reflection and discovery of their truest identity. Along the way, they meet the most incredible found family that will feel for so many readers like going home.

I'll never understand how AK Mulford writes such incredibly powerful stories that aren't difficult reads. We all know that sometimes, especially in fantasy books, the reader can feel so bogged down by the world-building and minute details that it can be difficult to see the big picture of the story--things can get confusing rapidly. That, to me, has never been the case with AK Mulford. They write in a way that is easy to follow while creating worlds you just fall into, as if you've always been there. Their worlds are as diverse as their characters (although I'll admit, every time Calla and crew passed a random character, I was hyper-focused on details about them searching for cameos from my HMC crew) and even though this is a fantasy setting, they put their characters through very real-life experiences that so many will relate to. They truly have a special gift for making people from so many life experiences feel welcome, seen, and accepted. (Note: of course there are life experiences, I'm sure, that haven't been visited by AK yet, because there are endless life experiences out there and, so far at the time of this review, only 5 published AK Mulford books. I generalize here, of course, but you can tell that AK puts in the work to make as many who may be or feel marginalized to see that they are represented in a book as possible, and I can only see that number of people growing as AK releases more books.)

I truly couldn't get enough of A RIVER OF GOLDEN BONES. Once again, AK Mulford does not disappoint in doing the most to ensure that people of all identities are seen and represented in an epic tale of adventure and romance.

A River of Golden Bones is the first book in the Golden Court trilogy, a romantic fantasy series about twins who are secretly werewolves and have to save their kingdom from a powerful sorceress. The book follows Calla, one of the twins, as she comes out of hiding to rescue her sister Briar from a sleeping curse that threatens to destroy their world. Along the way, she discovers new realms, new allies, and new feelings for Prince Grae, her childhood friend and Briar's betrothed.

I liked this book for its original and creative premise, its diverse and likable characters, and its fast-paced and adventurous plot. The author did a good job of creating a rich and immersive world of magic, monsters, and romance. The chemistry between Calla and Grae was sweet and believable, and I enjoyed their interactions throughout the story. The book also had some interesting themes of identity, family, loyalty, and courage.

However, I also felt that this book had some flaws that prevented me from giving it a higher rating. Some of these flaws were:

- The writing style was sometimes inconsistent and confusing. For example, some parts were written in first person from Calla's perspective, while others were written in third person omniscient or alternating between different points of view. This made it hard to follow who was narrating what at times.
- The plot was sometimes too rushed or too predictable. For example, some parts felt like they were skipped over or glossed over without much explanation or development. Some parts also seemed like they were following a formulaic pattern that I had seen in other books before.
- The characters were sometimes underdeveloped or stereotypical. For example, some characters seemed like they had no personality or motivation beyond their roles in the story. Some characters also seemed like they fit into clichés or tropes that I had read before.

Overall, I think this is a good book for fans of fantasy romance who like their stories with magic, adventure, humor, and drama. It's not a perfect book by any means, but it's definitely worth reading if you're looking for a fun and exciting ride.

I was so excited for this book but for me it did not deliver. It's labeled as adult or NA but the characters in the writing felt way more YA. Don't get me wrong, I love YA but it just felt kind of juvenile with meh spice. I could not get lost in the story because the writing and imagery wasn't strong enough. I did really love seeing the main character figure out who they are and share that with loved ones.